1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to cryptography accelerators. More specifically, the present application relates to methods and apparatus for data handling in cryptography accelerators.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional cryptography accelerators include a variety of mechanisms for managing the exchange of data with external devices. In many conventional implementations, specialized data handling mechanisms are configured for specific ports. Port buffers are preconfigured based on expected needs and requirements of particular ports and data path buffers are provided for implementation of cryptographic operations.
Mechanisms for performing cryptographic operations are described in Applied Cryptography, Bruce Schneier, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (ISBN 0471128457), incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. However, implementation of specialized data handling mechanisms for specific ports and providing buffers throughout a cryptography accelerator causes a variety of inefficiencies including data handling inefficiencies and inflexibility in managing different types of data.
It is therefore desirable to provide methods and apparatus for improving data handling with respect to some or all of the performance limitations noted above.